Pemphigus erythematosus induced by thiopronine

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Rheumatology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
• Thiopronine is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) used in RA treatment.
• Pemphigus erythematosus is a rare autoimmune blistering disease.

Observation:

• A patient with RA developed pemphigus erythematosus after 14 months of thiopronine therapy.
• The skin lesions resolved spontaneously within 4 weeks of discontinuing thiopronine.
• This case presents a potential adverse drug reaction to thiopronine.

Findings:

• This is the first reported case of pemphigus erythematosus associated with thiopronine.
• Thiopronine shares similarities in structure and mechanism with D-penicillamine, which is a known cause of drug-induced pemphigus.
• The findings suggest thiopronine may induce pemphigus erythematosus.

Implications:

• Clinicians should be aware of the potential for thiopronine to induce pemphigus erythematosus.
• Further research is warranted to confirm this association and understand the underlying mechanisms.
• This case highlights the importance of monitoring for dermatological side effects during thiopronine treatment.